Apparatus for turning stockings and the like



Nov. 3, 1953 F. A. LANDUccl ET AL 2,557,341

APPARATUS FOR TURNING sTocKINGs AND THE LIKE 7 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 25, 1950 Nov. 3, 1953 F. A. LANDUccl ET AL 2,657,841

APPARATUS FOR TURNING STOCKINGS AND THE LIKE Nov. 3, 1953 F. A. LANDUccl- ET A1. 2,657,841

APPARATUS FOR TURNING STOCKINGS AND THE LIKE '7 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed July 25, 1950 Inventom Nov. 3, 1953 F. A. LANDUccl ET AL 2,557,841

APPARATUS FOR TURNING STOCKINGS AND THE LIKE Filed July 25, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 MAB o HQ; "a

ya 2/ "l L 2 r 33 A 75 fi 23 lza Nov. 3, 1953 F. A. LANDUccl ET AL 2,657,841

APPARATUS RoR TURNING sTocKINGs AND THE LIKE 7 `Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 25, 1950 Nov. 3, 1953 F. A. L ANDuccl ET AL 2,557,841

APPARATUS RoR TURNING sTocKINGs AND THE LIRE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 25, 1950 Invenioxs Nov. 3, 1953 F. A. LANDUccl ET AL 2,657,841

ARRARATUS RoR TURNING sTocKINGs AND THE LIKE Filed July 25, 1950 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented Nov. 3, 1953 APPARATUS FOR TURNING STOCKINGS AND THE LIKE Frank Andrew Landucci, London, and Edwin Ivan Rusted, Wolvey Villa,

near Hinckley, England,

assignors to The Charnwood Engineering Company Limited, London,

Application July 25, 1950, Serial No, 175,714

13 Claims. 1

This invention concerns apparatus for turning stockings and other tubular articles of exible material inside out, it being explained that in the manufacture and processing of stockings and other knitted articles of footwear, the necessity arises of turning these articles inside out and vice versa; similarly in the manufacture of belts, scarves, ties and similar tubular articles it is necessary after seaming to turn these articles to bring the raw edges of the material to the inside; operations which hitherto have usually been accomplished by hand. The object of the present invention is `a construction of apparatus by which such operations are effected automatically.

The invention provides apparatus for turning tubular articles inside Out, comprising a female receiving member arrangedv to have the article passed over it so that the said member is then at least partly contained within the tubular article, means for moving the receiving member between a loading station at which it is presented to have the article passed over it and a turning station at which it presents the article for turning, turning means operable at the turning station to engage the article presented to it by the receiving member and by relative movement (i. e. relative movement as between the turning means and thereceving member) to force the article through said member and thereby to turn it inside out, and means for producing relative article turning movements between the receiving member and the turning 4means each time lthe former is presented at the turning station. The turning means may push the article at least `partly through the receiving member, or pull it through, or may operate by a combination of these movements. Conveniently it comprises a rammer movable into the receiving member. It will, therefore, Vbe seen that `this apparatus permits ofthe turning operation being effected automatically, the only 'hand operation necessary being lthat of passing the tubular article, such as a Stocking., over the receiving member. rvDesirably there is a plurality of the receiving members and mechanism for moving them successively to each of the two stations in turn. Thus the receiving members are .presented one ,after another at'the loading station to have the stockings or the like put on to them, and as soon as each receiving member is loaded, it is transported to the turning station. yThus -a vcirculation is carried on .between the twofstations. r-Ihere may be conveyor apparatus for thereceiving members comprising two Ycarrier members rotatable `in spaced yplanes England necting the two members at singularly-spaced locations; the length of which links is equal to the spacing between the axes and which links have the receiving members mounted on them. Advantageously the receiving members are disposed on the links with their axes substantially parallel to a plane containing the axes of ro'- tation. Y

The receiving member, or each of them, is preferably in the form of a tube open at each end. It may, however be in the form of a ring together with a suitable support or supports.

In that embodiment of the apparatus in which there is a plurality of the receiving members, the mechanism rfor moving them isn preferably so constructed as to move them intermittently,`per mitting each of them in turn to p ause rst at the loading station and vsubsequently at the turning station. This lmechanism may comprise a Geneva mechanism.

rIhe foregoing and other features of the invention defined in the appended claims are lincorporated in the stocking turning apparatus which will now be described, as an example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mechanism;

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the Geneva mechanm @11d Figure 4 Yis a section thereof Vtaken on the line IV-IV in Figure 3;

Figure -5 is a perspective View, partly in broken section, of the Geneva mechanism, spiders, and stocking-receiving tubes hereinafter described;

Figure 6 is an elevation, and Figure 7 a Asectional view, of vthe lazy-tongs mechanism;

Figure 8 is a view of a gripper-carrying arm hereinafter describelfwhile i Y nFigure 9 is a plan and Figure 10 is Aan elevation of the lower part thereof, including the grippers.

This apparatus comprises aplurality of stocking-receiving tubes 4a, Ib, ylc kand 'ld 4and conveyor apparatus for movingthe tubes in succession from a loading station to a turning station. The leading .stat-1911.15 that 4@recuperi by the tube I a virixluss- 1 and 5,. the ,turninecstatien ybeing Athat loccupied by ltube lc. Preferably lthere are two spiders, H2, 3, mounted to .rotate ,on a machine frame I ,0 about horizontal axes '4, 5, one axis above the other, -the planes lofrotation ybeing slightly spaced apart. The spiders Ahave lan @Qual ,number .of .arms Shown at `'M1-Zal .and 3ft-53d. Eacharm of cnespider is connected to about parallel axes, and a plurality caf-links conthe corresponding arm of the other spider by a link (the links being respectively numbered (ia-6d), and each link carries a bracket (1a-1d) on which an open-ended stocking-receiving tube Ia-Id is disposed, substantially vertically. The distance between the axes 4, 5 is equal to the length of each link (ia-6d, and the arrangement is therefore such that as the two spiders rotate the tubes Ia-Id are caused to travel in a substantially circular path, while each maintains its substantially vertical attitude (i. e. the axes of the tubes are substantially parallel to a plane containing the axes 4, 5). The spiders 2, 3 are driven through a Geneva mechanism so that they move step by step. Each tube is in turn presented at a loading station at one side of the machine where it is accessibly positioned so that an operator may draw the stocking on to it, the toe part of the stocking being then located at the top end of the tube. Thence the loaded tube travels (either directly or with one or more pauses, depending on the ratio of the Geneva mechanism) through approximately 180 degrees of its path to a turning station at which it is again presented substantially vertically. At this turning station there operates a turner which consists of a plunger or ram rod 8 movable in a substantially vertical path in such manner that in its descent it engages the toe end of the stocking and forces the stocking down through the tube until the toe is presented at the bottom of the tube. It may readily be appreciated that in this operation the stocking, or at least part of it which is carried by the plunger 8 down through the tube, is turned inside out.

The Geneva mechanism is carried in a casing 9 on the machine frame I0 and is best Shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It is of conventional character and comprises a constantly-rotating pin disc II carrying a pin I2 capable of entering radial slots I3 in a star disc I4 which is rotated step by step about axis 5 and is connected to spider 3. The pin disc I I is driven from motor I5 through clutch mechanism or stop start mechanism I6 controlled by pedal I1, belt I8, innitely variable change-speed bearing I9, belt 20, and belt pulley 2I on a flywheel 22 secured to the shaft 23 of the pin disc II. The gearing I9 permits the speed of the machine to be adjusted to match the dexterity of the operator in loading stockings or the like onto the tubes. By operation of control I1, or of a stop-start push button controlling the electric motor I5 or its clutch, the operator can readily cause the apparatus to come to a standstill or cause any receiving member to pause between the loading and turning station. There may be a brake (e. g. an electro-magnetic brake) which is automatically applied when the clutch is released or when the motor is de-energised, so that the moving parts are rapidly brought to a sta-ndstill.

The plunger 8 is reciprocated by a suitable mechanism in time with the movements of the tubes, so that it descends each time a tube is presented at the turning station, and ascends before that tube moves on to the loading station. Since the travel of the plunger B is substantial, it is desirably moved through a lazy tongs mechanism 24 for thereby a comparatively small initial movement of one end of the tongs (such as may readily be derived from a crank, cam or eccentric) produces a much greater movement of the other end of the tongs, to which other end the plunger 8 is connected. Suitable guides are provided for ensuring that the plunger movement is rectilinear so that the plunger maintains its alignment with the tube.

Specifically, the plunger 8 is attached at its upper end to a slide block 25 slidable in guide 26, and slides through a guide block 21 xed at the lower end of the guides. The top end of the lazy tongs mechanism 24 is pivoted at 28 to a part 30 on the plunger 8, and its bottom end is pivoted at 29 to the machine frame, while the two lowermost links 24a, 24h of the mechanism are connected by toggles 3Ia, 3Ib to a connecting rod 32 mounted on a crank pin 33 on the pin disc II.

It will be appreciated that in order to avoid damage to the stockings or the like, each tube Ia-Id should have its upper lip of smooth rounded form, and that all parts with which the stockings are likely to come in contact should be smooth and void of any such excresences as are liable to cause snags. Likewise the plunger 8 should be smooth and its tip 3' rounded.

While it is within the scope of the invention to impart to the plunger an amplitude of stroke adequate to ensure that its descent through each tube will discharge the turned stocking or the like from the lower end of the tube, yet in order to keep the amplitude of stroke and the length of the tube at a minimum it is preferred to pro vide extracting mechanism which grasps the toe part of the stocking, as it is pushed clear of the lower end of the tube by the plunger, and subsequently pulls the stocking through the tube. For this purpose there is a pendulous arm 34 pivotecl at 35 on the machine frame and carrying a gripper 36 at its bottom end and this arm is so disposed and mounted and is so swung in step with movements of the plunger that each time the plunger pushes the stocking down a tube, the gripper is placed to receive the toe of the stocking, grips it, and then retires. In this retiring movement the stocking is drawn out of the bottom end of the tube and is carried away. At an appropriate stage the gripper 3E is opened to release the stocking. The released stocking may fall into a suitable receptacle or in the retiring movement the stocking may be laid across a receptacle or tray 31 and then released by the grip per 36.

In the illustrated construction, the arm 34 rocked by means of a link 38 connected to a lever 39 on a rock shaft 40, which latter also carries a truck lever 4I acted on by a cam 42 on fly-wheel 22. In order to adjust the travel cf the gripper 36 to that which is best having regard to the length of the stockings or the like on which the machine is, for the time being, to operate the point at which the link 38 is hinged to arm 34 is adjustable along a curved slot 43 towards and away from the pivot 35 and may be clamped in the desired position by screw-and-nut clamping mechanism 44.

The gripper 36 is carried by a carrier 45 on the bottom end of arm 34, and in order to ensure that in its movement towards and away from the turning station the gripper travels in a path which is substantially parallel with the surface of tray 31, the carrier 45 is hinged to the arm 34 at 43 and is connected by link 41 to a guide roller 48 which travels along a xed track 49 (see Fig. 8), the roller 40 being mounted on an arm 50 hinged at 5I to arm 34. Thus as the arm 34 (and the gripper 3B) swings to and fro and roller 43 travels along guide 43, link 41 is moved up and down in relation to arm 34 and the carrier 4.5 pivots on the end of that arm to cause the gripper to travel in the aforesaid parallel path.

movable supporting means mounted on said frame for movement along an endless path; a plurality of tubular object receiving members mounted on said movable supporting means for movement with the same along said endless path; a reciprocable object turning member; reciprocating means mounted on said frame and supporting said reciprocable turning member for movement along a path of reciprocating movement between a retracted position and an advanced position; and drive means for moving said movable supporting means step by step along said endless path in such manner that one of said receiving members pauses in said path of said turning member when said turning member moves to said advanced position of the same, so that said turning member passes into said one receiving member for turning an object thereon, while another receiving member pauses in a position permitting placing of a exible tubular object thereon, said drive means driving said reciprocating means in a predetermined order with said movable supporting means.

4. An apparatus for turning flexible tubular objects having one end closed inside out comprising, in combination, a supporting frame; movable supporting means mounted on said frame for movement along an endless path; a plurality of tubular object receiving members mounted on said movable supporting means for movement with the same along said endless path; a reciprocable object turning member; reciprocating means mounted on said frame and supporting said reciprocable turning member for movement along a path of reciprocating movement between a retracted position and an advanced position; drive means for moving said movable supporting means step by step along said endless path in such manner that one of said receiving members pauses in said path of said turning member when said turning member moves to said advanced position of the same, so that said turning member passes through and out of one end of said one receiving member for turning an object thereon, one end of said object projecting out of said end of said tubular receiving member, while another receiving member pauses in a position permitting placing of a exible tubular object thereon, said drive means driving said reciprocating means in a predetermined order with said movable supporting means; gripper means mounted on said frame movable between a retracted position and an advanced position located in the path of reciprocating movement of said turning member for engaging said end of said object; and means operated by said drive means for actuating said gripper means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said gripper means include jaw means, and means for opening said jaw means in said retracted position of said gripper means and for closing said jaw means in said advanced position of said gripper means.

6. An apparatus for turning flexible tubular obiects having one end closed inside out comprising, in combination, a supporting frame; movable supporting means mounted on said frame for movement along an endless path; a plurality of tubular object receiving members mounted on said movable supporting means for movement with the same along said endless path; lazy-tongs means mounted on said frame movable between a collapsed and expanded position; an object turning member secured to said lazy-tongs means and moved by the same between a retracted and an advanced position, said turning member moving along a straight path and projecting in said advanced position thereof into said endless path of said tubular receiving member and being adapted to project into any one of said tubular receiving members for turning an object placed thereon; operating means mounted on said frame for moving said movable supporting means step by step along said endless path in such manner that one of said receiving members pauses in a receiving position in said straight path so as to be adapted to receive said turning member in said advanced position of the same, and at least another receiving member pauses in a loading position permitting placing of a flexible tubular object thereon; an actuating member mounted on said frame and connected to said lazy-tongs means for moving the same between said collapsed and expanded positions; and drive means for driving said actuating member and said operating means.

'7. An apparatus for turning ilexible tubular objects having one end closed inside out comprising, in combination, a supporting frame; movable supporting means mounted on said frame for movement along an endless path; a plurality of tubular object receiving members mounted on said movable supporting means for movement with the same along said endless path; lazytongs means mounted on said frame movable between a collapsed and expanded position; an object turning member secured to said lazy-tongs means and moved by the same between a retracted and an advanced position, said turning member moving along a straight path and projecting in said advanced position thereof into said endless path of said tubular receiving member and being adapted to project into any one of said tubular receiving members and out of one end of the same for turning an object placed thereon and for pushing an end portion of the object out of said end of said tubular receiving member; operating means mounted on said frame for moving said movable supporting means step by step along said endless path in such manner that one of said receiving members pauses in a receiving position in said straight path so as to be adapted to receive said turning member in said advanced position of the same, and at least another receiving member pauses in a loading position permitting placing of a flexible tubular object thereon; an actuating member mounted on said frame and connected to said lazy-tongs means for moving the same between said collapsed and expanded positions; gripper means mounted on said frame movable between a retracted position and an advanced position located adjacent said end of a receiving member in said receiving position of the same, said gripper means including jaw means, and jaw actuating means for opening said jaw means in said retracted position oi said gripper means and for closing said jaw means in said advanced position of the gripper means for gripping an object turned and pushed out of said end of said receiving member so that the object is retracted by said gripper means; and drive means for driving said actuating member, said operating means, said gripper means and said jaw actuating means in a predetermined order.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said operating means is a Geneva mechanism including a continuously rotating member, and wherein said actuating member is operatively connected to said continuously rotating member and operated by the same.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said movable supporting means include two carrier members mounted on said frame rotatable in spaced planes about parallel axes, and a plurality of link means connecting said two carrier members for rotation, the length of said link means being equal to the distance between said axes; and wherein said tubular receiving members are mounted on said link means.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim '7 including an arm pivotally mounted on said frame and pivotally connected to said gripper means; a link pivotally secured at one end thereof to said gripper means; a guide roller at the other end of said link; and track means for said guide roller effecting rectilinear movement of said gripper means.

11. An Iapparatus for turning flexible tubular objects having one end closed inside out comprising, in combination, a supporting frame; movable supporting means mounted on said frame for movement along an endless path; a plurality of tubular object receiving members mounted on said movable supporting means for movement with the same along said endless path; lazy-tongs means mounted on said frame movable between a collapsed and expanded position; an object turning member secured to said lazytongs means and moved by the same between a retracted and an advanced position, said turning member moving along a, straight path and projecting in said advanced position thereof into said endless path of said tubular receiving mem- Iber and being adapted to project into any one of said tubular receiving members and out of one end of the same for turning an object placed thereon and for pushing an end portion of the object out of said end of said tubular receiving member; operating means mounted on said frame for moving said movable supporting means step by step along said endless path in such manner that one of said receiving members pauses in a receiving position in said straight path so as to -be adapted to receive said turning member in said advanced position of the same, and at least another receiving member pauses in a loading position permitting placing of a flexible tubular object thereon; an actuating member mounted on said frame and connected to said lazy-tongs means for moving the same between said collapsed and expanded positions; an arm -pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said frame; gripper means pivotally connected to the other end of said arm for movement with the same between a retracted position and an advanced position located adjacent said end of the receivi g member in said receiving position of the same; a link pivotally secured at one end thereof to said gripper means; a guide roller at the other end of said link; track means on said frame for guiding said guide roller along a. straight path and effecting rectilinear movement of said gripper means during pivoting of said arm, said gripper means including movable jaw means, a xed jaw means, and spring means urging said movable jaw means towards said xed jaw means; a plurality of stop members on nsaid movable supporting means, one for each receiving member, each stop member engaging consecutively said movable jaw means for opening said gripper means in the retracted position of the same, said stop members releasing said movable jaw means in said advanced position of the same; a. pivoted ejector member cooperating with said ygripper means; ejector actuating means including a iiexible cable and connected to said ejector member; and drive means for driving said actuating member, said operating means, and said ejector actuating means, and for rocking said pivoted arm in a predetermined order.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said operating means is a Geneva mechanism including a continually rotating member, and wherein said actuating member is operatively connected to said continuously rotating member and operated by the same, and wherein said movable supporting means include two carrier members mounted on said frame rotatable in spaced planes about parallel axes, and a plurality of link means connecting said two carrier members for rotation, the length of said link means being equal to the distance between said axes so that said link means remains substantially parallel to a plane through said axes during rotation of said carrier members; and wherein said tubular receiving members are mounted on said link means so as to remain in a substantially upright position during rotation of said carrier members.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said frame is arranged in an upright position during operation, whereinone of said receiving members pauses in a loading position located within said frame, and another receiving member pauses in a loading position outside of and on one side of said frame, wherein said one of said receiving members pauses in said receiving position on the other side of said frame; and including a collapsible support for receiving objects released by said gripper means and located underneath the latter in said retracted position of said gripper means.

FRANK ANDREW LANDUCCI. EDWIN IVAN RUSTED.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,286,057 Brownstein June 9, 1942 2,434,816 V Suftko Jan. 20, 1948 

